Moon Colonists

...wonder what the man on the moon have to say about this...?

I don't know much of the answers but I suspect his or her true nationality would be moonian. The second recognized nationality would likely be that of the parents and the nation that primarily funded the expedition to the moon. (Likely American)

Being raised in a scientific environment the child would be probably far more rational and logical minded. He or she would have to deal with far less political based educational agendas. Given the expensive and limited resources a moon colony would have I doubt the funding nations would care for spending loads of money on useless crap for education. Plus being a non earth resident I would suspect a more open and worldly educational environment would be used being a moon colony would be a multinational endeavor.

I don't see social interaction as being a problem though. With the right set up I don't see why internet could not be available on the moon too! (some 30 foot satellite dishes with 100 watt wireless routers should do it!) That would give the child full access to the world! (If the earth based dishs are located in the correct countrys of course!)

Not Moonian, but rather a Loonie. At least that is how Robert Heinlein imagined it.

I can't imagine any sane woman wanting her child to grow up in such a micro-gravity, let alone a cultural wasteland. The nationality of such an infant would be moot. Would it grow up as a human might be a better question.

Some answers come to mind:

1) Childbirth in swimming pools seems to work OK. Kind of an artificial micro-gravity.

2) Bone density and muscle mass would suffer. The same considerations for exercising a quadriplegic might obtain, both lunar and terrestrial.

3) Plant species would need to have algae as a base, both for O² generation, food, and recycling, so hydroponics is a given. I think nutritionists and horticulturists would need to get together on logistically viable species. Tomatoes are nice, but could one plant take over the moon? Chocolate is one of the major food groups. Can it be reasonably grown on the moon?

Bigger questions are where is all the water coming from? Iceteroids? I wouldn't count on enough up there to flush a toilet. Mollecular 'cracking' moon rocks?

Where is the power coming from, roving PV collectors? Some Sci-Fi writers have invisioned an equatorial railway for just such a purpose. In fact, this entire subject has been pretty well thrashed already in the Sci-Fi annels

Gives me a headache just thinking about it.

One problem - They can't go overseas (to the other side of the pond) for holiday.

I can't go overseas for holiday. It's enough to make you a Luna tech.

I would expect anyone born and raised on the moon would be unable to visit Earth, the gravity would be debilitating.
They would be Selenites of course...
they would have to write romantic songs about Earthight too...can't rhyme moon and June anymore...
A Lunar year is the same as an Earth year but would there be seasonal differences?
Are there mice on the moon, what with all that cheese.
Felis Domesticus Lunaris.
Del

A nice real story:

One of the founders of my kibutz nir david in Israel was Naftali Golomb, our kibutz was founded 1936 by a group of atheistic comunists-zionist young people.

1964 Naftali taught kibutz managing,and I was one of his students.The following year he went to the USA, for a sabato year, to harward, at this time sociologists didn't know much about kibutz, so after a short while he was asked to give lectures about kibutz in different univesities in the states,after- it was one year before americans landed on the moon,Naftali was invited by NASA, they thought that in short tome america will have a colony on the moon,and they concluded the the best form of community on such a remote and hostile enviroment will be Kibutz!

Because lack of water the plan was freezed,but I think that now after Ice was found there the idea was DEFREEZED!

The first series of questions about living in space were well answered by Marshall T Savage in his landmark book (no pun intended) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Millennial_Project:_Colonizing_the_Galaxy_in_Eight_Easy_Steps

I just reading Robert Heinlein's "Between Planets" which covers a man born in transit between planets. His father is from Mars and his mother is from Venus. (predating John Gray of course) and then there is a war, which polarizes issues of nationality and loyalty.

Awesome questions PWS, 5 Stars for you.

Chris

5 Stars for you...
Very droll...

Whatever their occupation, would he/she be moonlighting?

jt.

He said, Let there be light, and I could see for bl**ding miles!

In fact I think that moonshining would be a better occupation for ALT (American Lunar Territories) colonists.